# 1997 in New Zealand

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive
The following lists events that happened during 1997 in New Zealand.

## Population

* Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,802,700.
* Increase since 31 December 1996: 40,400 (1.07%).
* Males per 100 Females: 97.1.

## Incumbents
### Regal and viceregal

* Head of State – Elizabeth II
* Governor-General – The Rt Hon. Sir Michael Hardie Boys GNZM, GCMG, QSO

### Government

The 45th New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was The National Party, led by Jim Bolger, in coalition with New Zealand First, led by Winston Peters.
* Speaker of the House – Doug Kidd
* Prime Minister – Jim Bolger then Jenny Shipley
* Deputy Prime Minister – Winston Peters
* Minister of Finance – Bill Birch
* Minister of Foreign Affairs – Don McKinnon
* Chief Justice — Sir Thomas Eichelbaum

### Parliamentary leaders

* Labour – (37 seats) Helen Clark (Leader of the Opposition)
* Alliance – (13 seats) Jim Anderton
* ACT New Zealand – (8 seats) Richard Prebble
* United New Zealand- (1 seat) Peter Dunne

### Main centre leaders

* Mayor of Auckland – Les Mills
* Mayor of Hamilton – Margaret Evans
* Mayor of Wellington – Mark Blumsky
* Mayor of Christchurch – Vicki Buck
* Mayor of Dunedin – Sukhi Turner

## Events

* 8 February: Stephen Anderson, 24, shoots 11 people, killing 6 of them (including his wife and parents) at Raurimu.
* 16 July: List MP Alamein Kopu resigns from the Alliance Party but remains a member of parliament. This causes controversy because Kopu has signed contracts with the party that she would resign from Parliament should she leave the party.
* 10 September: Parliament's privileges committee finds that Alamein Kopu is entitled to remain an independent MP.
* Argentina reopens its embassy in Wellington (closed since 1982).

## Arts and literature

* Paddy Richardson wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
* Montana New Zealand Book Awards:
** Book of the Year/Cultural Heritage: Jessie Munro, The Story of Suzanne Aubert
** First Book Awards
*** Fiction: Dominic Sheehan, Finding Home
*** Poetry: Diane Brown, Before the Divorce We Go To Disneyland
*** Non-Fiction: Jessie Munro, The Story of Suzanne Aubert
See 1997 in art, 1997 in literature, Category:1997 books

### Music
#### New Zealand Music Awards

Winners are shown first with nominees underneath.
* Album of the Year: Strawpeople – Vicarious
** Emma Paki – Oxygen of Love
** Garageland – Last Exit to Garageland
** OMC
** The Mutton Birds – Envy of Angels
* Single of the Year: DLT Featuring Che Fu – Chains
** Bic Runga – Bursting Through
** Garageland
** Strawpeople – Taller Than God
** The Mutton Birds
* Best Male Vocalist: Che Fu – Chains
** Jeremy Eade (Garageland)
** Jon Toogood (Shihad)
* Best Female Vocalist: Bic Runga
** Emma Paki
** Fiona McDonald (Strawpeople)
* Best Group: Garageland
** Shihad
** The Mutton Birds
* Most Promising Male Vocalist: Daniel Haimona (Dam Native)
** Andrew Tilby (Breathe)
** Ed Cake (Bressa Creeting Cake)
* Most Promising Female Vocalist: Lole Usoalii
** Andrea Cook
** Maryanne Antonuvich (D Faction)
* Most Promising Group: Dam Native
** Bike
** Bressa Creeting Cake
** Cinematic
* International Achievement: OMC
** Crowded House
** Jane Campion
** Peter Jackson
* Best Video: Sigi Spath & Joe Lonie – if I Had My Way (Supergroove)
** Kevin Sprig – La La Land (Shihad)
** Jonathan King – Behold My Kool Style (Damn Native)
* Best Producer: Malcolm Welsford / Karl Steven – Backspacer (Supergroove)
** Alan Jansson – How Bizarre
** Eddie Raynor – ENZSO
* Best Engineer: Rick Huntington / Alan Jansson – How Bizarre (OMC)
** Chris Van Der Geer (Strawpeople)
** Malcolm Welsford – Backspacer (Supergroove)
* Best Jazz Album: Bluetrain – No Free Lunch
** Jazz in the Present Tense – Jazz in the Present Tense
** Nairobi Trio – Shelf Life
* Best Classical Album: the Nzso, Janos Furst, Michael Houston – Live : Tower Beethoven Festival
** New Zealand String Quartet – Bartok String Quartet 1–5
** Alexander Ivashin & Tama Vesmas – Sergie Prokofiev
* Best Country Album: Coalrangers – Coast to Coast
** Dennis Marsh – Out of Nashville
** Bartlett, Dugan, Vaughan – Together Again
* Best Folk Album: Wild Geese – Betwixt Time and Place
** Michael Scorey – Angel Station
** Bob Bickerton – Music in the Glen
* Best Gospel Album: Max Jacobson – Found
** The Lands – Arbor Day
** Evan Silva – Aint No Two Ways About It
* Best Mana Maori Album: Emma Paki – Oxygen of Love
** DLT – The True School
** Dam Native – Behold My Kool Style
* Best Mana Reo Album: St Josephs Maori Girls College – a Gift of Song
** Te Kura Tuatahi Me Te Ropu Kapahaka O Ranana – Te Wainui A Rua
** Turakina Maori Girls College – Mana Wahine
* Best Childrens Album: Universal Childrens Audio – Waiata Karahere
** Helen Willberg – Ranona Moemoea
** Love To Sing Choir – Love My First Songbook
* Best Polynesian Album: Annie Crummer – Seventh Wave
** Felise Mikaele -Se Taitau
** The Five Stars – Samoa Ea
* Best Songwriter: Dl Thompson, C Ness, A McNaughton, K Rangihuna – Chains (DLT Feat Che Fu)
** Paul Casserley, Fiona McDonald, Greg Johnson – Boxers (Strawpeople)
** Bic Runga – Bursting Through
* Best Cover: Wayne Conway – ENZSO (ENZSO)
** Jeremy Takacs, Karl & Jon – Shihad
** Rick Huntington And Alan Jansson – How Bizarre (OMC)
See: 1997 in music

### Performing arts

* Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Paul Bennett.

### Radio and television

* CanWest takes complete ownership of TV3 and launches TV4.
* TVNZ broadcasts MTV.
* July: Prime Television in Australia purchases 34 licences covering all major New Zealand centres.
See: 1997 in New Zealand television, 1997 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Category:Television in New Zealand, TV3 (New Zealand), Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand

### Film

* Lost Valley
* Topless Women Talk About Their Lives
See: Category:1997 film awards, 1997 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1997 films

### Internet

See: NZ Internet History

## Sport
### Athletics

* Peter Buske wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:20:49 on 8 March in New Plymouth, while Terri-Lee Farr claims her first in the women's championship (2:55:20).
* Beatrice Faumuina became the first New Zealander to win an event at a World Athletics Championships.

### Basketball

* The Men's NBL was won by the Auckland Stars
* Tall Blacks

### Cricket

* Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team

### Golf

* New Zealand Open won by Greg Turner

### Horse racing
#### Harness racing

* New Zealand Trotting Cup: Iraklis
* Auckland Trotting Cup: Kate's First

#### Thoroughbred racing
### Netball

* Silver Ferns
* National Bank Cup

### Rugby league

* The Auckland Warriors competed in the breakaway Super League and finished 7th out of 10 teams.
* Waikato won the Super League Challenge Cup, defeating Canterbury 34–18 in the final. Waikato also won the Rugby League Cup.
* 25 April, New Zealand lost to Australia 22–34
* 26 September, New Zealand defeated Australia 30-12

### Rugby union

* Super 12
* Rugby Union World Cup
* National Provincial Championship
* Bledisloe Cup
* Tri Nations Series
* Ranfurly Shield

### Shooting

* Ballinger Belt – Ross Geange (Masterton)

### Soccer

* The Chatham Cup is won by Central United who beat Napier City Rovers 3–2 in the final (after extra time).

## Births
### January–February

* 3 January – Jacob Cowley, rugby union player
* 7 January – Dylan Schmidt, trampolinist
* 10 January – Patrick Herbert, rugby league player
* 20 January – James Munro, motor racing driver
* 21 January – Josh Clarkson, cricketer
* 23 January – Duncan Campbell, snowboarder
* 24 January
** Hailey Duff, Scottish curler
** Jordan Uelese, rugby union player
* 3 February – Paige Hourigan, tennis player
* 11 February – Rosé, singer and member of South Korean girl group Blackpink
* 12 February
** Anna Grimaldi, athlete
** Clayton Lewis, association footballer
* 13 February – Sevu Reece, rugby union player
* 17 February – Jordie Barrett, rugby union player

### March–April

* 1 March
** Nick Kwant, cricketer
** Niccolo Tagle, badminton player
* 3 March – Du'Plessis Kirifi, rugby union player
* 5 March – Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, rugby union player
* 11 March – Ata Hingano, rugby league player
* 12 March – Stephen Perofeta, rugby union player
* 13 March – Orbyn Leger, rugby union player
* 14 March – Sam Dobbs, cyclist
* 18 March – Rieko Ioane, rugby union player
* 19 March – Zak Gibson, cricketer
* 20 March – Bobby Cheng, chess player
* 21 March – Moses Dyer, association footballer
* 23 March – Sirocco, kākāpō
* 8 April – Ella Greenslade, rower
* 20 April – Luke Jacobson, rugby union player
* 23 April – Myer Bevan, association footballer
* 24 April – Lydia Ko, golfer
* 26 April – Tima Fainga'anuku, rugby union player
* 30 April
** Daisy Cleverley, association footballer
** Sam Lane, field hockey player

### May–June

* 1 May – Terina Te Tamaki, rugby union player
* 2 May – Aotearoa Mata'u, rugby union player
* 5 May – Asafo Aumua, rugby union player
* 6 May – Carlos Garcia Knight, snowboarder
* 7 May – Harry Allan, rugby union player
* 8 May
** Tahuna Irwin, darts player
** Amanda Jamieson, cyclist
* 13 May – Ngatokotoru Arakua, rugby league player
* 23 May – Sam Timmins, basketball player
* 24 May – Olivia Podmore, cyclist (died 2021)
* 30 May
** Ere Enari, rugby union player
** Sitili Tupouniua, rugby league player
* 5 June – Ross ter Braak, cricketer
* 8 June – James Rolleston, actor
* 11 June – Marino Mikaele-Tu'u, rugby union player
* 17 June
** KJ Apa, actor
** Pouri Rakete-Stones, rugby union player
* 28 June – Henry Cameron, association footballer

### July–August

* 5 July – Abigail Latu-Meafou, netball player
* 9 July – Grace Anderson, cyclist
* 16 July
** Braydon Ennor, rugby union player
** Isaia Walker-Leawere, rugby union player
* 5 August – Clara van Wel, singer–songwriter
* 6 August – Noah Billingsley, association footballer
* 12 August – Elizabeth Cui, diver
* 19 August – Alex Fidow, rugby union player
* 21 August – Sione Katoa, rugby league player

### September–October

* 9 September – Erin Clark, rugby league player
* 10 September – Jacob Pierce, rugby union player
* 11 September – Zoe Hobbs, sprinter
* 16 September – Martine Puketapu, association footballer
* 17 September – Christian Leopard, cricketer
* 21 September – Maia Wilson, netball player
* 27 September – Hail, Thoroughbred racehorse
* 30 September – Ryan Coxon, rugby union player
* 1 October
** Troy Johnson, cricketer
** Sam Verlinden, singer
* 8 October – Taniela Paseka, rugby league player
* 10 October – Josh McKay, rugby union player
* 11 October – Dalton Papalii, rugby union player
* 23 October – Jaydn Su'A, rugby league player
* 30 October – Abbie Palmer, squash player

### November–December

* 1 November – Kimiora Poi, netball player
* 4 November – Bryony Botha, cyclist
* 16 November – Ethereal, Thoroughbred racehorse
* 21 November – Caleb Aekins, rugby league player
* 26 November – Tamati Tua, rugby union player
* 7 December – Briton Nikora, rugby league player
* 15 December – Stefania Owen, actor
* 27 December – Jona Nareki, rugby union player
* 31 December
** Peter Umaga-Jensen, rugby union player
** Thomas Umaga-Jensen, rugby union player

## Deaths
### January–March

* 1 January – Nora Crawford, police officer (born 1917)
* 2 January – Keith Hay, construction company founder, politician, conservative activist (born 1917)
* 10 January – John Rodgers, Roman Catholic bishop (born 1915)
* 15 January – Ted Smith, rower (born 1922)
* 29 January – Sir Clifford Richmond, jurist (born 1914)
* 2 February – Ray Dalton, rugby union player (born 1919)
* 26 March – Sir Norman Alexander, physics academic, university administrator (born 1907)

### April–June

* 8 April – Lord Module, Standardbred racehorse (foaled 1974)
* 10 April – Sir Robert Aitken, medical academic, university administrator (born 1901)
* 14 April – Count Geoffrey Potocki de Montalk, poet, pretender to the Polish throne (born 1903)
* 17 April – Henry Lang, public servant, economics academic (born 1919)
* 24 April – Hugh McLean, rugby union player (born 1907)
* 25 April – Terry O'Sullivan, rugby union player (born 1936)
* 3 May – Bruce Beetham, politician (born 1936)
* 7 May – Owen Jensen, musician, composer, music critic and broadcaster (born 1907)
* 17 May – James Newhook, veterinary science academic (born 1915)
* 21 May – Sir Tristram, thoroughbred racehorse (foaled 1971)
* 22 May – Rachael Zister, Māori community leader (born 1893)
* 2 June – Oscar Garden, aviator (born 1903)
* 14 June – Sir Jack Hunn, public servant (born 1906)
* 15 June – Kim Casali, cartoonist (born 1941)
* 26 June – Dent Harper, cricketer (born 1937)
* 28 June – Jack Hinton, soldier (born 1909)
* 29 June – Ian Clarke, rugby union player, referee and administrator (born 1931)

### July–September

* 3 July – Ron Westerby, rugby league player (born 1920)
* 6 July – Brun Smith, cricketer (born 1922)
* 8 July – Ray Speed, association football player (born 1914)
* 12 July – Frank Shuter, speedway rider (born 1943)
* 23 July – David Warbeck, actor (born 1941)
* 25 July
** Jack Davies, swimmer (born 1916)
** Matiu Rata, politician (born 1934)
* 31 July – Sir Hepi Te Heuheu, Māori leader (born 1919)
* 15 August – Dave Solomon, rugby union and league player (born 1913)
* 16 August – Kitty Kain, dietician, WAAF leader (born 1908)
* 21 August – Jean Horsley, artist (born 1913)
* 25 August – James Gould, rower (born 1914)
* 5 September – Emily Schuster, master weaver (born 1927)
* 17 September – Trevor Redmond, speedway rider (born 1927)
* 22 September – Silver Lad, thoroughbred racehorse (foaled 1973)
* 23 September – Christopher John Lewis, criminal (born 1964)
* 26 September – Geoff Gerard, politician (born 1904)

### October–December

* 8 October – Desmond Scott, fighter pilot (born 1918)
* 11 October – Sidney Koreneff, French resistance worker, newspaper managing director, Anglican priest (born 1918)
* 18 October
** David Seath, politician (born 1914)
** Geoff Walker, canoeist, surf lifesaver (born 1952)
* 31 October – Adrian Rodda, public servant (born 1911)
* 9 November – Margaret Pawson, netball player (born 1940)
* 16 November – Roy Sheffield, cricketer (born 1906)
* 21 November – Stanley Dallas, radio technician and recording engineer (born 1926)
* 27 November – Jim Kershaw, association football player (born 1906)
* 6 December – Eva Rickard, Māori land and women's rights activist (born 1925)
* 10 December – Ted Coubray, filmmaker (born 1900)